New Bulls coach Johan Ackermann says all players must earn their jersey

The new coach downplayed talk of tactical changes to the way the Bulls play, focusing instead on off-field standards and the kind of culture he wants to instill in the group.

"I want a team that works hard," Ackerman said. "So, if you're not willing to work hard, it's going to be a problem. It's not about you. You must serve the team first.

"It is about picking up a thing that lies around, giving somebody water first before you drink it, caring for your teammates and those around you. You have the opportunity to treat people, so how do you treat them?

"If we have that respect and trust for each other, that will be important. The last thing is, I said [to the players], I want to trust you. If I say something you don't like, tell me immediately."

On how he wanted the Bulls to play, the former Lions and Gloucester coach added: "I don't want to say too much about the style of play. That is something that we must keep to ourselves, but I will say that, hopefully, the supporters will enjoy [it]."

Ackermann also seemed to hint that past status under Jake White won't guarantee any player a starting role moving forward, and that players must show a willingness to embrace the new team culture.

"The big thing is how they will fit into the plan. The challenge is, and I made it quite clear to the group when I met with them the first time: To play for the Bulls, you have to earn the jersey," he said.

"And unfortunately, I am of the opinion that you can have 100 tests or be an Under-20 player, if you do what we expect you to do from a coaching perspective, you will play.

"So it's not about players that are coming in, or the ones that were recruited before me, I am happy to work with whatever the squad is, as long as they fall into our culture and perform like we want them to perform."

The Bulls have fallen short in three United Rugby Championship finals over the last four seasons, and while Ackermann admitted that his record in finals hasn't been much better, he believes careful planning and creating the right mindset are key to finally getting over the line.

"My track record in finals isn't great - I've lost two Super Rugby and a European Challenge Cup finals - so I'm not going to pretend I know the missing one per cent.

"Sometimes it's one pass, one refereeing decision. The Springboks won a World Cup with three one-point wins. If any of those had gone the other way, people would be asking what was missing.

"What I can control is planning well, getting players into a good space, and ticking every box to give ourselves the best shot," he added.

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